Exploring baby names with an anthropological perspective

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Parents have long sought strong names for their sons. Macho names like Gunner and Wolf have a distinct appeal for boys. But increasingly, parents are looking for names that reflect qualities of courage and strength for their daughters as well. Gone are the days of dainty girls and tough boys- modern parents see the benefits […]

Part 13/26 Magalie- This unusual French form of Madeleine (via Magdelene) makes for a highly distinctive but very wearable choice. Mandolin- It’s more famous as a musical instrument (pictured), but Mandolin, and variant spellings like Mandalynn and Mandalyn, is occasionally used in the US. The popularity of the Mandolin crowd unsurprisingly follows the ups of […]

Nameberry is having a super fun contest- invent a name! There are lots of great submissions. I spotted Isadela, Avantine, Samadhi, Viterra, and Candem. My entry was Maxienne, which I loosely based on Maximus. Although the contest seemed well received, I don’t think invented names generally are. “That sounds made-up!” is a common phrase on […]

Shakespeare didn’t just have a way with words; he had a way with inventing words. We owe quite a bit of our everyday language to Shakespeare- he’s responsible for “eyeball,” “addiction,” “bedazzled,” “swagger,” “assassination,” and many, many others. But he didn’t stop with words; he also invented names, some of which have become surprisingly common. […]

What a year! Namenculture was founded on December 20th, 2016, with Popular Names that May Surprise You. The most popular list of the year was also my favorite: Lyrical Bohemian Names. I love that unusual style, and the more I write about it, the more I love it! I’d originally intended to get all the […]

I’m a big fan of nicknames. My name doesn’t easily lend itself to many, so I’ve always been a little jealous of people who can change their preferred name at the drop of a hat. Feminine names with lots of nickname options abound, but there aren’t many masculine names that can say the same. I’ve […]

River- River is something of a phenomenon among celebrities- Jamie Oliver, Jeff Goldblum, Paulina Gretzky, Taylor Hanson, and Keri Russell have chosen the name for their sons, and Kelly Clarkson used it for her daughter. It’s likely that River’s go-with-the-flow image, along with its trendy -er ending, contributed to its popularity. Delta- Another river-related celebrity […]